AMSAT-NA Echo Satellite Completes Initial Integration

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An integration and testing team, lead by Jim White (WD0E) and Mike Kingery (KE4AZN), was assembled in December 2003 at SpaceQuest in Fairfax, VA. During this initial integration session, 90% of Echo's hardware was successfully tested and most of the telemetry calibration was accomplished. Even the new experimental L-band receiver and S-band transmitter functioned well during their first tests.

January and February will see action items resolved by the development team, and the final integration session will be scheduled shortly.

The launch window opens in late March, so the satellite is coming together on plan.

There is still time for you to have your name placed in orbit.

The names of all contributors will be placed inside the ECHO satellite. ANSAT-NA has not yet reached its fund raising goal of $110,000 to pay for the ECHO launch.

Visit www.amsat.org to link to pictures of ECHO during integration, and to make a contribution. Join AMSAT! Call Martha at the AMSAT office for information at (301) 589-6062.

The ECHO Integration Team would like to give their thanks to the following for their support during Integration: SpaceQuest, NK6K, N5AHD, WB6YMH, W2GPS, W4PUJ, W2LNX, KC4YMG and N4TPY. Details of

their individual technical contributions can be found on the Amsat News Service, via www.amsat.org.